If the log book has gone missing and you need to get a car officially off the road, the good news is that you are not stuck. The bad news is that the simple online route usually disappears with the V5C, so you need to use the DVLA’s paper process instead.
This is one of those admin jobs that sounds minor until the tax reminder lands, the car is sitting unused and you realise you cannot just click through the usual online SORN journey. Here is the route that actually works in the UK.
The short answer
Yes, you can make a SORN without a V5C, but not usually with the quick online method. GOV.UK says that if you do not have a log book, you need to send both a V62 application for a log book and a V890 SORN form to DVLA. The replacement log book costs £25.
In other words, the fix is not to wait and hope the paperwork turns up. It is to use the postal route and send the correct forms together.
Why the missing V5C changes the process
The standard online SORN service works best when the vehicle is already registered in your name and you have the reference number from the V5C or a recent vehicle tax reminder. If the log book is lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, that easy route usually stops there.
GOV.UK is explicit on this point. On the page for registering a vehicle as off the road, DVLA says that if you do not have a log book, you should fill in an application for a log book, which is form V62, and a V890 form, then send them to DVLA.
That is the core answer most people need.
The DVLA route that works without a V5C
If you need to make a SORN and the V5C is not available, use this order:
- Get a V62 form, which is the application for a log book.
- Get a V890 form, which is the SORN form.
- Fill both in carefully with the vehicle and keeper details.
- Send both forms to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR.
- Budget for the £25 replacement log book fee.
That is the route GOV.UK directs drivers to use when the V5C is missing.
When your SORN starts
This matters, because plenty of people assume a SORN always starts the moment they post the forms. The official rule is a bit more specific.
GOV.UK says a SORN starts immediately if either:
- your vehicle tax has already expired
- you are not applying in the month your vehicle tax is due to expire
If you apply in the month your vehicle tax is due to expire, the SORN starts on the first day of the next month instead.
That timing can affect whether you still need to think about tax and insurance for a short period before the SORN becomes active.
What counts as off the road
A SORN is not just a paperwork label. GOV.UK says a vehicle is off the road only if you do not keep or use it on a public road, for example if it is in a garage, on a drive or on private land.
That means a missing V5C does not create a loophole. If you are declaring the car off road, it needs to be genuinely off the public highway.
If you are parking it on a public street while telling DVLA it is off the road, that is exactly the kind of mismatch that causes trouble.
Can you drive the car while sorting the paperwork?
Only in a very limited situation. GOV.UK says you can drive a vehicle with a SORN on a public road only to go to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment.
That is useful if the car needs testing before it returns to normal use, but it is not a general permission slip to keep using the vehicle while the paperwork catches up.
Will you get a tax refund?
Usually, yes. GOV.UK says you will automatically get a vehicle tax refund for any full remaining months after you make a SORN.
That is one reason not to leave the job hanging around. If the car is genuinely off the road for a while, sorting the SORN properly can stop you paying tax you no longer need to pay.
What if the address on the V5C was wrong before it went missing?
DVLA also flags another common snag. If the address on the log book was wrong, GOV.UK says you should change your address first, then register the vehicle as off the road.
That matters because bad keeper details can slow down future paperwork and make an already annoying process more annoying. If this sounds familiar, our guide to the two address changes to make after moving house covers the V5C side of it in more detail.
What if the vehicle is not registered in your name?
This is where drivers can go wrong by mixing up keeper status with ownership. On the GOV.UK SORN page, DVLA says that if the vehicle is not registered in your name, you should fill in the appropriate part of the log book and send it with a V890 form.
If the log book is missing as well, the situation gets more awkward, and it is usually a sign to slow down and make sure the paperwork trail actually makes sense.
If you have bought a car and the V5C is missing, this Motoring Mojo guide on buying a car without a logbook is the better place to start before you assume the SORN admin is the only problem.
The mistakes that catch people out
Waiting for the V5C to turn up instead of acting
If the car is already off the road and you know the log book is gone, waiting rarely improves anything. The official route exists precisely for this situation.
Using the wrong form
A V62 gets the replacement log book process moving. A V890 is the SORN form. Without the SORN form, you have not actually made the SORN request. Without the V62, you have not dealt with the missing log book. You need both.
Assuming the car can stay on the street because it is not being driven
That is not how GOV.UK defines off the road. If it is on a public road, it is not properly off the road for SORN purposes.
Confusing this with taxing a car without a V5C
The paperwork overlap is similar, but the aim is different. If you are trying to put the car back into use rather than take it off the road, our guide to taxing a car without a V5C is the more relevant read.
A simple checklist before you post the forms
Before the envelope goes off to Swansea, check that you have:
- filled in the V62 fully
- filled in the V890 fully
- checked the registration number carefully
- included any required payment for the replacement V5C
- kept photos or scans of what you are sending
- made sure the vehicle is actually off the public road
Those last two points are not glamourous, but they are the bits that save time if there is any delay or confusion later.
Quick FAQ
Can I make a SORN online if I have lost the V5C?
Usually not. The normal online route depends on the reference details from the V5C or tax reminder. If the log book is missing, GOV.UK directs drivers to use the V62 plus V890 postal route.
How much does it cost to make a SORN without a V5C?
The SORN itself is not the paid part here. The cost that matters is the £25 fee for the replacement log book through the V62 process.
Do I need insurance once the car is properly SORNed?
GOV.UK says you do not need to insure a vehicle if it is kept off the road and declared as off the road with a SORN. That is part of the continuous insurance enforcement rules.
Can I drive a SORNed car to an MOT?
Yes, but only to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. That is the limited official exception.
Do I need to renew a SORN every year?
No. GOV.UK says you do not need to renew a SORN. It stays in place until you tax the vehicle again, sell it, scrap it or permanently export it.
Bottom line
If the V5C is missing, you can still make a SORN. The DVLA route is to send a V62 and a V890 together, pay the £25 replacement log book fee and make sure the car is genuinely off the public road while the process is handled.
It is not the fastest bit of motoring admin, but it is much better than doing nothing and hoping a missing log book somehow sorts itself out.
